Legend of Zelda: The House of Cards
by sineadkfoley
Summary: A Collaboration with and input from SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness. A 10-Year Old' crush has caused the untimely death of Linkle, when her reincarnated soul, now half Hylian half Gerudo, retrieves an Artefact from the Yiga clan Linkle must do all she can to convince her family and Link she is who she says to save the future of everyone, both in that world and ours.
1. Chapter 1

**Legend of Zelda: The House of Cards**

**Chapter One**

**The Eagles Eye**

"One day! One day!" Linkle exclaimed to herself as she ran through a dense wood.

She was being chased by a clan, the Yiga clan. A dancer by night and self taught huntress by day. She could handle herself very well indeed and only ever hunted edible beats known to torment the people of hyrule, however she wasn't quite ready to face the Yiga.

Her family knew from the very start that there was something different about her. She chose her name for one. Her parents, a Gerudo woman and a Hylian man, had remained in the Gerudo Desert until Linkle' younger sisters, the mischevious twins, arrived.

It was then that Linkle started to have dreams about Link, Hyrule Castle, a compass she knew she'd lost in the desert and her darkest dream of all. The Molduga.

It plagued her, she knew these events she'd dreamed about had happened but her parents seemed to want no part in her desire to search for the truth.

Time worked differently here in Hyrule. Thousands of years could go by and you'd never age a day. The loss of Linkle to Link was still raw to face but something he never spoke about with anyone, not even Zelda.

Out of fear that she'd want to venture out into forbidan areas of the Gerudo Desert they moved to be housed and protected by the Great Deku Tree.

Linkle had just stolen an artefact from what she thought was a rude merchant, that merchant had then show it's true form and the hunt was on only now she was the one being hunted.

She was nearly at the hidden tunnel that would lead her home and dry when something caught her foot and she went flying into a muddy puddle.

She was useless against the Yiga in combat but handly when it came to stopping her from taking back the artefact,

"No! It's not yours!" She screeched

The Yiga gave up and stood, releasing her weapon and holding it up, ready to behead Linkle when suddenly they both heard a horse neigh and a swipe of a sword and the Yiga exploded into smoke with a scream.

Linkle looked up and saw Link staring down at her.

"What's that you got there?" He asked

"Uh...just, it's a...uh" She stammered,

"Linkle!" Called her father Karal

Link stood back and stared at Karal, giving Linkle the chance to hide the artefact,

"Who're you?" He asked

"I...am Karal, orginally from Kakoriko, I heard screaming and I knew it was Linkle, she's always getting herself into mischief, she has these stupid notions Sir about going into Gerudo Desert in search of..." Karal said but he was soon stopped by his wife, Fornea

"No one in Hyrule is allowed to have that name" Link said, "The girl, who until another of my kind arrived called me father, actually turned out to be my sister. She had been born and hidden the night I was orphaned by a different clan, and sent back in time, to this era, our memory of it wiped. I looked like our father from her photos and so that is what I became. She died in the desert"

"Link, Sir we meant no disrespect, she chose this name, she has dreams..." Karal said

"Karal! He doesn't want to here this!" Fornea snapped

"He does want to here this" Link said

"Sire! Something is afoot! You must return to Hyrule Castle immediately!" Came a voice in the distance,

Link put his sword away and climbed Epona,

"Where can I find you?" He asked, "This conversation will continue"

"We can't tell you that" Fornea said

"He's the King of Hyrule...you can find us by" Karal began and then he whispered, "The Great Deku Tree"

Link nodded, turned Epona round and galloped off

"Oh you are in big trouble!" Forea snapped

"He saved me" Linkle said, shaken by the encounter

"I was talking to him!"

Karal looked at his daughter,

"Why was that Yiga after you?"

Likle looked at the ground.

Link arrived at Hyrule Castle and went straight to Zane' room instead of the meeting he was supposed to be in and knocked on the door.

Zane looked up from his desk,

"Link? What's wrong?"

Link came into the room and slumped to the floor to cry,

"Zane! Have you seen Link? We need him in the Great Hall, an artefact has been stolen. It could spell disaster for Hyrule!" Came the same voice that called out for Link in the woods.

"He's with me, we will be along in a minute" Zane said

"You know I never questioned him" Link said

"The messenger? He's a new fairy, he is without a physical body or eyes yet but has a knowing and manipulates the air to make sounds and words but you're not crying over a fairy without a body" Zane told him

"I come back again and again, with the same name. Zelda does the same but...what are the chances of Linkle returning too?"

"Linkle was very new to all this Link, have you proof of a reincarnation?" Zane asked

"Only a girl, who wants to go to the desert to search for something...she chose _her_ name but she has a Gerudo mother"

"Why were you near the Desert?" Zane frowned

"I was't I was in the Lost Wood, her father said they could be found with the Deku Tree"

"Oh this I have to hear"

"Sire! The hall now! I won't tell you again!" Yelled the Messenger

"What is that you have there?" Fonea asked Linkle as she tried to sneak past the kitchen with the artefact

"Something I rescued?" She said

"Right out of the hands of a Yiga?" Karal said

"Let's see it then" Fornea asked, no longer angry, but instead, excited

They heard a sigh a Linkle placed the artefact on the table,

"At least you have it now" The Great Deku Tree said

"Huh?" Linkle said looking up, "What does it do?"

Meanwhile in a meeting with Zelda, Zane and Nana...

"It leads to four places, within which is placed a symbol seen on a deck of Earth Cards. They each represent something different, Swords of Soldiers, the Spade in this case, bravery, Club a weapon of War, power, Diamond, greed and Hearts, love. Love comes last and must concure all but if the possessor of the artefact does not know love then they can't possibly survive" Zelda said, "When all these symbols are retieved then a gateway appears in the Gerudo Desert and beyond that the House of Cards. Here the dweller is challenged by incarnations of the soldier, the enemy, greed and love, where you must prove your capabilities of loving another being or face enternal entrapment within one of the cards you represent the most"

"You know Halloween was yesterday right?" Link said

"Link, this isn't funny" Zelda said

"This isn't but how the artefact ended up where it did is" Link said

"You know where it is?" Nana said in question

"I know where it was...I hope it's still there when I get back for her sake" Link replied

"Who?" Zelda asked

"The Gerudo Hylian they call Linkle"

Zelda went white as a sheet.

Linkle hid the artefact in her room and left to go down to tea, thinking it was safe. However her younger sisters, the twins, had been hiding under her bed and had watched her hide the artefact away. They waited for a few seconds before climbing out and going retrieving the artefact.

At first they were unimpressed but then after the first twin solved a puzzle on the back it glowed and music called out to them.

Now entranced the twins left the Deku Tree, the aura around them also affecting their parents, Linkle and Hoviri, who they just walked right passed unchallenged.

Link and Zane ventured to the Lost Woods to seek an audience with the Great Deku Tree, walking right past the twins with the glowing artefact, however they did hear the music,

"Remember that" Link told him, "It may be important"

"Deku Tree! It's Zane and Link! Reveal yourself!" Zane called

The hidden tunnel revealed itself and allowed Link and Zane passage. At the entrance to the tree Link was a little put out,

"I thought we were friends"

"Link, I am the Great Deku Tree, if I hide from you do you not feel that it be because I am hiding something of imporatance not yet fit for your eyes?"

"It can't be her" Link said in tears

"Why can't it? Link, you have a heavy task on your hands" The Gret Deku tree said

"The artefact" Link said

"It's missing"

"Linkle has it" Link said

"Linkle had it"

Link ran inside the Great Deku Tree with Zane as he opened his mouth to them,

"Linkle!" Link called out, once inside,

Linkle jumped up from her seat in the kitchen and ran out to meet him,

"It's safe, I don't know why it's so important..." She started

"No it's not! It's gone! The Deku Tree told me, you don't know it's power" Link said

"Oh no" Hoviri said

"What!?" Karal demanded

"Where are the twins?" She asked

Not daring to believe they had it Linkle climbed the ladders up to her room,

"No! They didn't"

One the roof of a tower, burried in the grounds of a quarry two Yiga caught up with the twins and took the artefact,

"Why won't it play for us?" The first Yiga asked

"I don't know, look all we really need is that gate activated, think of the power we'll have when we beat all four challegers within the House of Cards, take the twins, leave the artefact" The second Yiga said

Like that the twins were spirited away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Are you Noble?**

Link, Zane, Linkle, Hoviri, Karal and Fornea were now sitting in a circle before the Great Deku Tree, trying to decide what their next move should be,

"What do you know about this artefact?" Hoviri asked

"I know what it does, I heard music on the way over here" Link said, "Maybe playing it back will lead us to it"

"Link!" Came the messenger' voice, "A child below a certain age will become entranced by the power of the artefact"

"Am I to understand it that they can reach these towers but would't be able to get inside?" Link asked

"That is correct" The messenger said

Linkle looked around in confusion,

"Yiga can't get through either, it won't work for them, they're plan was probably to sell it and then use that person until they had access to the gateway to the House of Cards" Zane said

"Will I be able to access the towers?" Linkle asked

"Don't for one second think I'm going to let you do this on your own" Link told her

"I got the artefact"

"If I might, I have a worthy aid to go alongside, the process has begun, we have to see it through now" Fornea said, "A young Gerudo I've been working with. She's a good fighter and a friend to Linkle, she will serve you well"

"It isn't all about strength" Link said, "None of you have asked her why she stole the artefact in the first place, what she thought it would achieve?"

"It's in my nature" Linkle said

"To steal? Then you will die very quickly and painfully...unless I can find some noble blood in you" Link said

"Link...what are you suggesting?" Zane asked a little nervous

"I want to see if she has the mark on her hand" Link said

Fornea grabbed Linkle' hand,

"She is not your Linkle" Fornea said

"That mark of my sister' will only show when faced with a real challenge"

"You don't think the Yiga a real challenge?" Linkle asked

"You walked into something you did not need to willingly, for the sake of your Gerudo nature. If, on the other hand you walk into the unknown, and require a strength only my kind possesses then that mark will show. Meet me at Hyrule Castle tomorrow morning, with this aid you wish to accompany us and if you have the mark I will concede" Link said

"That I am Linkle" Linkle said hopefully

"No, that you have a power the Goddesses wish to use in this never ending fight against the forces that forever try to destroy Hyrule" Link said and with that he left.

"Linkle...I want you to come to the castle before sunrise tomorrow, I want to hear about these dreams of yours" Zane said kindly

That night Linkle and her best friend, Korlorel, the aid Fornea had suggested, were sat up in a tree overlooking the clearing that would one day become Kokiri Village.

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?" Korlorel asked with a playful nudge

"I rescued an artefact off a merchant, who turned out to be a Yiga" Linkle said

"What was this artefact?" Korlorel asked her

"It's called the Eagle Eye" Linkle said

"Wait, I know that...has something to do with a gateway to the House of Cards, Linkle do you know the kind of power you could have if you passed all those challeges?"

"I wasn't thinking about that, though it would help" Linkle said

"I know what you're trying to do" Korlorel said, "You want to do what you couldn't back then, you want to find that Molduga that killed you"

"Yes...not just that, I'm torn Korlorel" Linkle said, "I'm torn. No one believes I was Linkle and no one will unless I can find that compass I lost. Link and Mya should have it...I know I belong with them and yet I love my family here too...what if by me staying they're in danger? I've cost us Gerudo Desert and now the twins"

"Linkle, I believe you and Link will too one day but getting yourself killed, going after the compass and the Molduga again is not the way to go about it"

"If only there was something distinctive about the horizon that day...what if I was at the gate when I was attacked?" Linkle said

"Something in you recognised the artefact for what it was and something untapped kicked in, you knew you had to get it off the Yiga" Korlorel said, "Looking back and realising a subconscious meaning is a great thing but we both know you wouldn't have activated that artefact yourself or handed it over, your mother would have sold it to the highest bid"

"Do you think we'll be able to find the twins?" Linkle asked

"We'll find them Linkle, don't worry"

The next day, right before sunrise Linkle and Korlorel arrived at the gates to Hyrule Castle on the back of Korlorel' sand seal, where they were met by Zelda,

"Wow, you look like her" Zelda said, stroking a strand of flaming red hair, "Accept for hese strands. Could it be possible?"

"Zane asked me to come early so we could talk" Linkle said and then she hugged Zelda. Zelda laughed and hugged her back, "I've missed you"

"If it's you, tell me something only we'd know" Zelda said as they parted

Korlorel looked up and realised Link was watching from a window high above, it made her uncomfortable,

"Link knows I wasn't supposed to die and is going to tell Robin to marry Mya instead in the hopes that the Goddess will bless her daughter with her power instead" Linkle said, Zelda' eyes widened, "I don't only relive vague memories from that time but I have projections. Something I know only happens in Link' family"

Zelda led Linkle up to Zane' room and left her with him, taking Korlorel down to the kitchens for some traditional Gerudo breakfast, something Korlorel greatly appreciated,

"I expected you to be intimedating" Korlorel said as she sipped her favorite beverage

"You must be joking, I wasn't exactly the popular kid in the class" Zelda said

"But you're Zelda"

"Exactly, they all wanted Link"

"What did Link want?"

"Parents" Zelda said

This took Korlorel competely by surprise.

Zane had lit a fire and made Linkle some hot chocolate to drink as they talked,

"Hyrule' warriors, their protectors, Link and Zelda, are cursed to become the same person over and over, so there will always be someone here to seal Ganon or his many guises and the followers he gains with each incarnation. Your arrival was not foretold and yet Linkle' ending is meant to come from events in Skyloft. At this time Skyloft has yet to ascend. There for if your memories are the same as hers then she, you, were not meant to die. Having the Gerudo on side would be a great advantage to us. I will not feed you words, I want you to tell me what you remember" Zane said

"There was a battle, in Hyrule. All had been quiet for a time and then Zelda had nightmares, she senced an unease and then all hell broke battle over I made my way home only I got lost, I ended up in the desert. I lost my compass and then it went dark. Just rescently, I learned to view these dreams, these memories in the third person, that's how I know...what killed me. It was a Molduga" Linkle said

Zane smiled,

"Remarkable"

"Link won't accept this truth, even though he himself has reincarnated dozens of times" Linkle said

"Yes but unlike you Linkle, he doesn't get to keep his memories" Zane told her

It wasn't long before Linkle was being lead through the castle and out into the courtyard, within the centre of which was a replica of the stand Zelda had once had in her Earthbound home Hi-Range. She was led up the steps and to the centre, where Link was waiting for her.

"You'll be perfectly safe. I will step in if I have to" He told her

Linkle nodded,

"I am ready Link"

With a nod Zelda activated an orb stand and Linkle and Link were lowered down to a chamber and doors with sand pouring out of them,

"You have Gerudo in you, it is believed Linkle' last known sighting from above was a desert not even the Gerudo will venture across. It is only plausible there for that she got lost"

"My compass is out there" Linkle said

"Even if it is you're not going back to get it" Link said

"But if we found it..."

"Linkle, if we establish that you have a mark on your hand then and only then will I tell you what I believe would happen, should that compass find its way back here" Link told her not unkindly

The doors opened and they stepped through.

Within this room was a shrine and something moving beneath the sand. Linkle was scared as she took a step across and then screamed as the Molduga rose from the sand and up towards the ceiling.

Link ran to her aid as she crumpled and the symbol of the Kokiri' emerald appeared on her hand.

"Pay attention little one!" He called as she backed up to the doors.

She watched Link hide in the entrance of the shrine. The Molduga didn't seem to be able to get him from here,

"I didn't know how to kill it!" She called, "I see it in my sleep every night since I can remember!"

"If you encounter one of these again be sure you're near a shrine or oasis" Link called. The Molduga had gone back under the sand, Linkle' eyes were scanning it, "Take a round bomb to entice him out of the sand" He said, using the round bomb rune and rolling it onto the sand. As it exploded the Molduga rose up, "Now quickly throw a square bomb directly beneath it, if there's something underneath it when it lands it will not attack you!" Link told her, Linkle was astonished to see he was right, "Blow it up and while he's in shock, spin with your heaviest sword!"

Link did this and repeated the action two more times. It wriggled and then exploded and the sand vanished from the room.

"But that's easy" Linkle said, tears in her eyes,

"Word of advice, take a supply of fairies with you anywhere you go so I don't have to wait so long for you to come home next time" Link said

They laughed and embraced in a long hug.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Three Swords**

Link and Linkle stepped down from the stand and Link showed Zelda, Zane and Korlorel the mark of the Forest Emerald on Linkle' hand.

Zelda squeaked and jumped Linkle for a hug as Korlorel looked on in shock,

"I thought you believed me" Linkle said to Korlorel

"I did but I didn't expect you to have that mark. Now we know why the Great Deku Tree agreed to protect you. What are we going to tell your parents?" She said

"Nothing, we have things to attend to and no one is safe until we have that artefact back" Linkle said

"With it activated we have no choice but to gather the items, the power coming from the four towers would rip Hyrule appart if left for longer than a year. The artefact can't be deactived until all the challengers have been met and either lost to or beaten" Zane said

"So each tower has one of these symbols, spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts?" Linkle said in question

"Yes but the towers don't do what you expect of a tower" Korlorel said, "From what I've read anyway"

"The South tower goes into the ground, the North tower is skyward bound, the East tower is on it's side, which makes it harder to navigate for one and goes towards the light, so the rooms get brighter and brighter, and the West tower breaks through the barriers of Twilight" Zelda explained

"Oh wow, so where do we go first?" Linkle asked

"I guess we play the tune Zane and I heard and see where it leads" Link said

Zane took out his flute and played the tune they heard,

They looked up as the tune echoed and red musical notes appeared in the air. Link was able to catch one. There was a sonic boom and a red Dragon appeared above them,

"You, who plays the seakers tune heed my words, if you are not worthy of heart and cannot put these notes in order then the tower will not reveal itself to you or your warriors and you will die" The Dragon said,

"We're trying to stop two Yiga and locate the twins that activated the artefact without knowing the consiquences" Link said

"We will look out for the entranced twins, as for the Yiga, if they get through that gate you and your sister will have no choice but to face the challengers of the House of Cards" The Dragon said

"We understand" Link said with a nod

"Then all that is left for me to say is good luck" The Dragon said before she flew off

Zelda lent Korlorel her trusted horse while Linkle got up onto Epona with Link and they set off to gather the notes. Like in Skyward Sword the notes had a mind of their own but they also noted that there were notes of other shades of the same colour and had to be careful of the reflecting light not to gather up the wrong ones.

The notes took them through the Lost Woods and lead them astray a few times until evenutally they came to the space of the first tower.

Right now they couldn't see the tower. Above Link, Linkle and Korlorel appeared red lines you'd sheet music, tapping at each note they were able to determine the order before placing them. Link then had to accompany the tune that played on his ocorina before the tower appeared and the artefact flew off into the distance,

"Make a note of it's direction" Link said with a point, to Korlorel

Korlorel nodded and they ventured into the South Tower, not knowing what to expect at all.

There were three doors on three levels with spade symbols in them. To open them Link, Linkle and Korlorel would have to locate these symbols. At the bottom there was what looked like a triangle with three spaces for three different items but from all the way up here they could not see what these items might possibly be.

"There has to be something at the bottom to help us get through one of these doors" Linkle said

"That's a long way to go down and back up if we're wrong" Link said

They looked up and saw a portrait of a soldier dressed as a card. It beckoned them. Link shivered. Korlorel took out her sword and the soldier jumped out of the portrait and floated before her,

"Can you not recognise thine enemy and thine ally?" The soldier said, "You presented hostile action to the wrong painting"

"Wait, she didn't know any better, are you saying there is an opposite and the oppistes have the spades that will allow access to these doors?" Link asked

"That is correct"

"I'm sorry" Korlorel said honestly

"If you hadn't done that we wouldn't have a clue where to go from here" Link said

Down the steps of the winding tower they went until they found the picture of the enemy. The Queen of Spades,

"I thought the queen of hearts was the enemy?" Linkle said in question

"In Alice' wonderland...well I'll be, the house of cards, the last challenger is the Queen of Hearts, we have a crossover" Link said

Linkle smiled,

"My favorite bedtime story"

"That...was your favorite bedtime story? You sure your last mother wasn't a Gerudo?" Korlorel asked

"She was a Korki, new aged healer from Kokiri, she left the village and grew up, married a Hylian" Link smiled

He then challenged the Queen of Spades and she jumped out of her painting to face him. Link was parted from Linkle and Korlorel and a course was laid out of beams and chains and swinging axes he had to avoid while trying to knock the Queen off as she attacked him.

He nearly lost his footing a few times but once he had kocked her off he realised his mistake. There were two spaces, one either side, one with his face in flowers and one with hers, it was to her own face he had to drive the queen and now she was respawning behind him. He found himself knocked off and respawning closer to his own face. He frowned and went at the queen, driving her across the course, now mad, and he didn't stop until he had her right by her face of flowers. It was here she got momentum back and scratched him, sending him back but just when he seemed he was going to fall again he rose, turned, took her sword and threw the queen into her face of flowers.

The sword became a spade, the course vanished and Link used it to get the spade into the first room.

Here they found unpainted cards, three soldiers, one crying, one smug and one, who looked lost,

"I think we have to paint one of these soldiers to life, but which one?" Linkle said

Korlorel went up to the first, the one that was crying and she touched it.

Before their very eyes Korlorel was transported to a white world where everything and everyone were nothing but an ink drawing.

She stood before the soldier in the card and questioned him,

"Are you the one, for whom we seek?"

"Don't make me fight mother...I haven't the heart"

"No...you're not who I need at all" Korlorel said

In a flash she found herself back in the room with Linkle and Link,

"What happened?" Link asked

"See for yourself" Korlorel replied, pointing at the next card,

Link touched the card of the one, who looked smug and was transported to a similar world to the one Korlorel had seen,

"Who are you?" The unpainted smug soldier asked, "I don't need your help I can defeat the queen myself!"

"She has already been defeated, I defeated her, you're redundant" Link said

"Me! I will never be that! You defeat the queen? Ha! You're lucky she's my only goal or this point of my sword would be for you!"

"Whatever, you're made of card, try anything and my sister will use you for firewood" Link said

As the unpainted smug soldier turned on him and crumpled his card sword Link returned to the room and laughed.

Linkle looked at the last unpainted soldier.

"He's the one we need" Link said

Linkle painted him and he came to life,

"Where am I!?" He asked

"You are in the South Tower" Linkle told him

The soldier hugged her,

"Oh praise you"

"What happened to you?" Korlorel asked

"My smug friend became trasfixed by an artefact, located the spade, the club, the diamond and the heart and then fell at the last hurdle for he had no love to give. His brother was sent in after him, following a call for help through a deck of cards used by a fortune teller in Castle Town and he failed because he was too afraid to love and then I was sent for but I got lost in the halls of never ending cries for help, I love too much. These cards, I see before me, they were windows to us, you understand. The first is lost in his grief, the second is desperate to get revenge on the Queen of Hearts and won't listen to reason. I wondered, this seemed to be the quietest tower for my thoughts, I thought if I could bring the other two around we could escape somehow. This was placed in my care by a noble, who gave himself up for a portait on the ceiling of this very tower" The lost soldier said, handing Linkle the first of three swords, "You'll need two more to reach the holding room of the Spade for the gate that leads to the House of Cards and there's something else down there too"

"A guardian I'll expect" Link said

"A gallery of darkness and a piece of something to help one find his or her way"

With that the soldier was gone and a door opened out for them.

Link and Linkle looked at each other in shock,

"My compass?" She said

"Maybe" Link said, "Maybe you died at the gate and you just had no idea you were even there"

Through the door opened for them Link, Linkle and Korlorel ventured, then down some steps into a gallery, of different people dressed as cards until Korlorel spotted the Jack of Spades. She challenged him and he jumped out at her,

"The Jack can be a joker, answer these three riddles from me and in your hand you shall have the next key. Fail and I will sail you to your doom, a rat infested, Ganon mini littered tomb" The Jack said

"Hit me with it. I'm good a riddles" Korlorel said

"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind, what am I?" The Jack asked before laughing insanely

"You're my echoe" Korlorel said

The Jack stopped laughing,

"What!?" He exclaimed, "That was easy, try this one out for size then smarty pants, you measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I am quick when I am thin but slow when I am fat and the wind is my enemy"

"You're a candle" Korlorel smiled

"Darn it!" The Jack exclaimed, jumping up and down, "Anyone would think you grew up on Earth with Link over there! OK fine but you won't be able to get this last one I know it. I have cities but no houses, I have mountains but no trees, I have water but no fish, what am I?"

"A map!" Korlorel said

"Hmm, I see I have met my match in you" The Jack said, giving her the next spade, "Here...good luck, I mean that"

In the next room bars came up behind them and Link, Linkle and Korlorel found a cell full of dirt, a spade in the corner and a window that was too high to reach. The door shut behind them and an upainted card fell to the floor. On the card was a detective. Link touched the card and the detective climbed out,

"The next sword is through that window there" He said with a point, and then he laughed, "It's too high up for you to reach, you will get no food and no water and I'm giving you two days to escape before you die...you can use that spade over there but I don't see how that's going to be much use to you"

"We can't dig our way through, that'd take too long" Linkle said

"Look around, what do we have an abundance of?" Link asked

"Dirt?" Korlorel said

"Exactly" Link grinned and he grabbed the spade and created a pile until he could reach the window and he climbed out.

Linkle and Korlorel grinned at each other and followed.

"Two swords down, one sword to go" Korlorel said

A door opened out for them and they descended some more steps, into a mirror maze. It was Linkle' turn to challenge the cards,

"Shouldn't there be a king around here?" Linkle asked

"Not unless he's in the House of Cards" Korlorel said, "It could go 10, Jack Queen, Jack, Queen King"

"Do you see any 10's?" Linkle asked, "It's very dark down here"

A soft glow appeared afoot,

"Follow me" It was the messengers voice

"You have a light now!" Link smiled, "Just low enough to not be registered but in this depth the right watt to show us where to go"

Linkle, Link and Korlorel followed the light of the messenger until they found the card Linkle would challenge, the 10 of Spades.

Linkle brandished her weapon and was showered with glass.

As it faded away she found herself on a thin crumbling walkway, stretching out across a cavern, and high above her was the 10 of Spades. He was a child, with a bow and arrow,

"Cross this cavern and I will give you the last spade" He said, "Beware, you can only try this once and it is my job to make sure you can't cross at all"

Linkle tried to block him out and keep her balance as she walked across the cavern, she could hear it cracking, feel it crumbling and the woosh of near misses as the 10 of spades fired arrows and bombs and all kinds of things at her to break her path and knock her off.

At one point she had to stop and jump and regain her footing, she fell but managed to hang on and pull herself up so she could make the rest of the journey across.

Once on the ledge on the other side of the cavern the 10 of spades jumped down and stood by her head before offering her a hand and the last spade,

"You have spirit" He said

"I hope so" Linkle replied

"The spirit of Farore...this is incredible, someone out there must possess the mark of Nayru and in fact Din, it is your task to find them, once this is over of course"

Link grabbed Linkle for a hug as she arrived from a space in the wall at the bottom of the tower,

"What happened to you?" Link asked

"He said...never mind" Linkle said and she placed the last spade and entered the last of three rooms.

To Link, Linkle and Korlorel' surprise they found themselves on a Japanese ship at high sea. Here they found a captain, a cook, an engineer and a seaman,

"Ah! Good!" The captian said

"Dew?" Link said in utter shock,

"Dew? Who is this Dew you speak off, a crime has been commited. You three will solve it" Dew winked at Link, who grinned, "I went to do some work on the ship and left my ring here on the table by the bunk, when I returned it was gone. These three have fawned over it before now. I give you the chef, the engineer and the seaman"

"Present your arguments to me" Link said

"I couldn't have done it I was preparing dinner" The chef said

"Well I couldn't have done it I was making sure the ship runs" The engineer said

"I was up the mast putting the flag up the right way, it was upside down" The seaman said

"Ahha!" Link said with a point, "I grew up in Japan, our flag is white with a red spot bang in the centre you can't hang it upside down. You're the tea-leaf!"

The seaman attacked Link, Link dodged and he went out the window. Link laughed and then everyone fell as they were hit by a side wave,

"A debt of gratitude Link" Dew said, handing him the third sword, "You turned out alright kid"

Link gave his signiture laugh and the way out was shown to them.

Link, Linkle and Korlorel wavered a little until they were used to being on solid ground again and then placed the three swords. A platform rose and they stepped onto it. This lowered into a chamber where they were met by 10 paintings of the Ganondolf in Ocorina of Time.

Link used his fire arrows to burn all bar one painting and shot Ganondolf as he jumped out at him, before Linkle used her light arrows on him to do dammage.

However as the portraits reappeared Link discovered he could no longer use his arrows and it was up to Korlorel to destroy all bar one painting, with her blades, passing through a lit torch. She then used her blades again to hit Ganondolf so Linkle could use the light arrows. The light arrows failed her and Link used the master sword' finishing blow on him.

It did damage but not enough and now Linkle had to find a way to destroy the paintings when Korlorel' blades failed her.

Linkle held out her hand an vines grew on the walls, ripping all bar one painting down, she then directed the vines to hold Gaondolf in place so Link could mark him with the triforce, using his Sword. Ganondolf exploded into light and at his feet they found two things. A Gold spade and a fragment of Linkle' compass.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Clubbed**

Link, Linkle and Korlorel met Zane and Zelda at the knight School where he listened intently to their tales about the trials they had faced within the Southern Tower and what became of the artefact,

"It travelled North" Zane said as they pointed the directions out on a map, "It's the same tune but the accompanying tune is what must be played now, I can phase out each instrument"

"If it's North...then we're heading for the village of the Rito" Linkle said

"Oh you're going much further than that but it makes total sense" Zelda said, "The North tower is Skyward, the tune should call down the Loftwings"

"If that's true then their cries will raise the loose ground, there's a whole town upon it now...a city even it's called the Loft" Link said

Link, Linkle, Korlorel and Zane ventured out to Lake Totori where the Rito village was located and made their way up the many platforms until they reached the highest point, where they then located Kass, the minstrel,

"Ah, good evening Link, might I be of assistance to you?" Kass asked, ceasing his play

"Kass, the Eagle Eye was activated, I have been lead to above the clouds, we need to call the dragon that guards the loftwings and play his music. Zane will play the tune on the flute, we need you to play the accompanying notes" Link said

"May I hear the tune one time?" Kass asked

"Certainly" Link said and he played the tune on his Ocarina

Kass nodded and then readied himself to play alongside Zane. Eveyone in the village stopped to look as flute and music box were played as one and a sonc boom swept through. A blue dragon flew down from the sky and hovered before them all.

Blue music notes floated around,

"I am Levias, spirit of the skies. So, you were successful within the Southern tower, this pleases me. I will raise a city to my world above, once this is over you must send me a guardian to watch over them until the time comes for the written Hero of the Skies to return to his anscestral home"

Zelda backed away from the Plataeu as the islands that made up the city now known as Loft rose into the night sky and the loftwings flew down to meet it and act as an escort,

"Do not be afraid!" She called to scared people holding on to one another and calling down, "This is meant, you will have all you need, we will make sure of that!"

Three Loftwings met Link, Linkle and Korlorel, one red, for Link, one green for Linkle and one yellow for Korlorel, and as they flew up into the night sky without light the task of capturing the right musical notes was tougher, as they reached the clouds they became dissorientated and no longer knew if they were moving up, left, right or not at all.

Above the clouds the light from the stars made it easier and with the last musical note in hand Link, Linkle and Korlorel stopped to watch the Loft become Skyloft with the statue from the Great Plataeu being perfectly hugged by a courtyard.

"Just as well I remembered to leave the sail in the knight school, we're going to need that later" Link said

Just off to the left of them was a set of thunder clouds and lightening flashes. Here the sheet for the music appeared and they placed the notes in order until an opening and a path of light was set out for them, leading to the Northern Tower.

Within the Northern tower they found three platforms in the wrong place, when in the right position the platform would rise up to a locked door, with a symbol on it. Each platform had a card on it, Jack, Queen, King. This time they were looking for clubs. Link climbed a ledge to work out where to move statues too in order to be able to move one of the platforms. They decided to start with the Jack this time.

It was Link, who pushed the first platform into place and from the card jumped the Jack,

"The club is a weapon of War and in a War there are enemies and friends, you must decide from the riddles I give you, what I am or what happened?" The Jack said

"I understand" Link said

"I make you weak at the worst of times. I keep you safe, I keep you fine, I make your hands sweat and your heart stone cold, I visit the weak but seldom the bold" The Jack said dramatically

"You're the enemy...you are fear" Link said after contemplating the riddle a while,

A barrel appeared before Link now,

"This barrel weighed in at 20 pounds, the last person to venture through here put something in it and made it weigh less than 20 pounds, what pray did she put in the barrel?" Link tried to inspect but the Jack slapped him out of the way with a staff, "NO PEAKING!"

"A hole" Link grinned, "You can't add to take away so she had to have done something to the structure, if she made a hole and this barrel contained oh I don't know, rum? Then with a hole in the barrel the rum will leak out and then the barrel will weigh less than it's original weight"

"This guy I know, flips" The Jack said, flipping, "He has three heads" Linkle gasped when this became so, "But the guy still had only one head" He added as the other two popped like a balloon, Linkle grimaced but Korlorel laughed a littled, "How can that be?"

"He tossed a coin" Link said, "But I like that trick of yours" He added

The Jack of Clubs bowed and gave Link the first club. Link climbed the platform. Linkle and Korlorel went to follow but the Jack stopped them, "This is his task not yours, why don't you use this time to work out which of you will challenge the Queen next"

Link used the first club to enter a room that looked like a grave yard. There were shadows of people standing around one stone in particular,

"This is disturbed" Link said

He retrieved his sword as a re-dead climbed from a tomb that moved itself back but this re-dead did not attack,

"The name is Detective Morgue, this is the case that killed me" The re-dead said

"I beg your pardon?" Link said in question,

"This case, these people...a girl at the funeral of her mother met a nice guy, also there for the funeral, they hit it off but he slipped away before she could ask the gent of a contact. She asked around but no one seemed to know, who this man was"

"What has that got to do with...?" Link begain

The re-dead shushed him,

"A couple of days later the girl' sister was murdered by a posioned pin, an heirloom, who did it? Why?"

"Being able to look back is a wonderful gift. The girl is the one, who killed the sister. If the man she met knew the mother he had to know the family in general and if her sister was dead he may have returned and she could have asked for his contact details" Link said and then he shivered, "Oh this tower is warped, I was expecting the Twilight infused tower to be..."

"One thing at a time Link" The re-dead said before gesturing towards a chest, "The spades are the swords of soldiers, the clubs are weapons of War, your weapon in this War is a Mace"

Link took it from the chest and returned to the plaform, however it didn't return him to the bottom, instead it ascended up to just below the ceiling, on which was a place for the Mace. Link had to sit cross legged and wait,

"Just as well I'm not afraid of heights isn't it?"

Linkle was the next to move a platform into position, this was in fact the Queen of Clubs. The Queen jumped out of her card and placed before her a ring, this ring became attached to a beam that weeved in and around her,

"How far does your trust in your friend go?" The Queen asked, "I just rigged you up to the lightening. Your friend must not only use the wand at the end to weeve around this course, to my standing point, collecting the ring along the way without getting eletricuted or electricuting you in the process. Note the wand, in the safe zone, she is OK but you are not, if she turns it and points it the wrong way when the lightening hits you're for it. Get hit three times I will disqualify you both"

From above Link' heart raced.

Korlorel started off fine until the first bolt hit, drawn by the conductive material of the wire. She freaked out, screamed and got shocked,

"Korlorel! You're a Gerudo, you've got this!" Linkle called, "Concentrate, I don't have any fairies yet"

"Why the hell not!?" Link called down

"When have I had time?!" She called back up

"You're not going to die here, you're just going to rot"

"Same thing" Linkle said

"She means she'll turn you into a re-dead!" Link called

"Nope...Korlorel get it together right now" Linkle said

A few near misses and a two shocks for Linkle, plus one more for Korlorel right at the end the ring and Linkle were safe,

"Who' challenge is it?" Korlorel asked

"Linkle dear, in War you must trust in your fellow soldier, she trusted you and you delivered, the challenge for the club key was hers, this next room also hers" The Queen said and with that she joined the Jack and they and Korlorel watched Linkle climb the platform and float up to the next door"

Linkle entered what would to us look like a modern classroom, there was a globe on the desk and a dead body, well, a mannequin made to look like a dead body at least and above him a banner that said; Welcome To a New Year.

"Oh dear"

Linkle jumped out of her skin and a police officer entered via another door and shoved four people into the space,

"What're you doing here? I told the class to leave!" The police officer said

"Zane?" She said in question

"Officer 2 to you!"

"Sorry" Linkle said

"Your history teacher is dead"

"He's plastic"

"That's no excuse...I believe that one of these four killed him, suspect number 1, the landscaper"

"I was mowing the lawn, I heard only my lawn mower"

"What's a lawn mower?"

Outside Link caught this on the wind and gasped,

"She grew up in a world where cows eat the grass? Please use your head, please, please"

"Suspect nuber 2, the math teacher"

"I was taking a mid-term test" He said

"Uh huh...of course you were" Zane said with a wink at Linkle, taking her by surprise, "Suspect number 3, the basket ball coach"

"I was in the middle of a drill" He said

"Huh?" Linkle asked confused

"Oh Lord!" Link sighed, head in his hands

"And suspect number 4, the head teacher" Zane said

"Huh?"

"I was in my office" She said

Linkle cried,

"I don't know!"

Suddenly she heard a whisper,

"The math teacher did it, mid term means half way through a course, how can he be taking a half way test if today is the first day?"

"It was the math teacher!" Linkle said, then her lip fattened, "Please?"

Zane winked, made everything disappear and gave her the Mace,

"Oh kid you should have let Korlorel take on the Queen, your mother trains her, at the least she would have known what mid term meant, and recognised the classroom setting. I had to help you"

"You weren't the only one Zane...I heard a whisper" Linkle said

"The messenger?" Zane smiled, "That's the second time he's helped you now"

Linkle was still upset so Zane hugged her before she left,

As she joined Link she made a heart shape, which he returned with a wink,

"Korlorel' turn next. We haven't faced a King yet"

"No, we haven't" Link said

"I'm going to have all my memories returned to me aren't I?" Linkle said

"Yes...Linkle? What are your twin sister' names?"

"Groota and Greta" Linkle said

"Groose!" Link said, then to Linkle he added, "Don't worry, wherever you roam your family now will go too"

"What about you and Zelda? Mya?" Linkle asked

"We'll always find each other" Link said, "Yesterday was proof of that and I can visit you in Skyloft"

Korlorel placed the last platform and the King jumped out and trasported her to a court. He sat Korlorel down at a bench and invited two other versions of her to join her. This was very freaky for Korlorel.

On each he placed a hat, two white and one blue. The real Korlorel had a blue hat.

"Now, you can see each other' hats but not your own. At least one of you is wearing a blue hat. I will give you a minute to figure out which of you it is and I will ask you how you came to this conclusion"

Korlorel studdied her other counters and then stood up,

"That's too easy I'm the one in the blue hat"

"How do you know?" The King asked with a smirk

"You said at least one of us has a blue hat and the other two have white hats so it can only be me"

The King bowed, gave her the last Club key and ported her to the platform.

Into the last available room she went as he joined the Jack and the Queen.

Korlorel found herself in a science lab with an experiment ongoing. On the desk was a visitors book, a list with Nickel, Carbon, Oxygen, Lanthanum and Sulfur written on it and then a news article about the murder of an army techition, who worked in this very lab.

"Case remains unsolved, what date was this?" Korlorel said in question, before going over to the visitors book, "Three people came to see him that day, Nicolas, Claire and Marc" She took forever, looking around the lab for clues until a whoosh of air blew the list in her face, "You want us to pass these tasks"

"We need you to pass, Good Lord, do you have any idea what the Yiga will do with our powers!? How much danger Linkle is in!?" An angry Queen called

"Alright! I am aware of the importance of us succeeding, I wasn't expecting help is all"

"We can't be seen to help, you won't get any joy from the East Tower or those in the West, I assure you"

Korlorel looked long and hard at the list and slowly it came to her, the first two letters of Nickel, the first of Carbon, the first letter of Oxygen, the first two of Lanthanum and the first of Sulphur, spelled out the name Nicolas,

"It was Nicolas" And she explained how she came to this conclusion, "But that wouldn't be accepted as truth unless you speculate that all three were involved somehow and that was a code for themselves they thought clever enough to hide in plain sight"

"It wasn't but you are right Nicolas did the crime, plotted by all three and they never paid for it, all three were working for the enemy"

With that the last Mace was hers.

Korlorel joined Link and Linkle, they placed the Mace' and were enveloped into a room with a puppet Ganondolf inside.

Link, Linkle and Korlorel were caught by the strings and held so any attempt to cut them were immediately wiped out.

Link realised that as the puppet moved there was slack enough to slip through bit by bit until he could fall to the ground,

He screamed and prepared himself for the massive amounts of pain he was about to be in as he landed. He bit back the tears and avoided the puppet as it stamped around before smashing a jar for a heart and using his boomberang to cut the strings,

As the puppet fell Linkle and Korlorel used the strings they had been attached to, to swing either direction and tie him up as Link used the master sword on him, creating the Triforce symbol,

The puppet changed tactics and pulled himself free from the ceiling, bringing masonry raining down. Linkle and Korlorel screamed and Link discovered one string still attached. He climbed the rubble and used the whip to bring the ceiling down on top of the puppet. Linkle used her sword to create the forest symbol for added power against the puppet Ganondolf. The puppet got up again and once again captured the three of them in string, however Korlorel got her hands free and cut away with her blades, she then tightroped across to the puppet unseen and sliced in the Gerudo symbol, finishing off the puppet.

Link, Linkle and Korlorel were lowered to the ground and there waiting for them was a gold Club and another piece to Linkle' compass,

"I'm starting to feel like me again...only stronger this time"

"Must be the Gerudo in you" Link smiled


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**The Arc**

Levias pierced the clouds so that Link, Linkle and Korlorel could return to the surface where Zane was waiting for them on the platform with Kass in the Rito Village.

"So, did you make note of the artefact' next point?" Zane asked

"It wasn't there" Korlorel said, "But I know where it'll be next. The Queen told me not to expect help from the East tower"

"There is a disused bridge to the East, another route to the snowie moutains, which makes sense. Snow makes everything brighter and if the sun is shining on it too, without suglasses you can't hope to see anything" Zane said

"What are sunglasses?" Korlorel asked

"Glass with a tint so you can see ahead of you without hurting your eyes" Link told her, "I have a few spares back at the castle"

"You don't call it home" Korlorel said

"My home is in Japan, it's where my parents are buried, where I grew up. No matter what happens ultimately the place you were born is usually the place that means the most, what we see when we're young and how we react shapes us into what we become when we're older" Link explained, "Right now it's not possible but one day I hope to show Linkle where we came from"

Linkle smiled.

Sunglasses in tow and snow tunics made with a little help from Nana Link, Linkle, Korlorel, Zane and now Kass headed East to a unused bridge, this bridge looked a little unsafe and felt it more so as they left the horses and carried on, on foot,

Half way they were met by a Zora.

It was Mipha,

"Hello Link!" She smiled, "I heard the music on the breeze, I believe it is my guitar you need now"

"Uh huh" Link said with a nod

Zane and Kass played the tune so far so Mipha could work out the accompanying notes and once she had it, like before there was a sonic boom.

This time a dragon spun up from the river on the opposite side to where Mipha had emerged.

"Your progress is reassuring to us, the challenge will only get harder from here on in though" She said, "Your challengers need protecting, you'll see what I mean when you arrive at the tower...if you arrive at the tower"

This did not fill Link with confidence. On route to trying to collect the light blue musical notes this time, they had to climb unstable walls, deal with avalaches and unfriendly yetis, one of which knocked Link unconscious for a time,

While out Linkle had agreed to race a second but hadn't specified a time and he'd left them alone,

"I can't sled to save my life" Linkle said as Link came round

"Then I'll see you in the next life" Korlorel grinned

"You agreed to race a Yeti? They know every trick in the book...oh sis, what am I going to do with you at all, not even Mya caused me this much trouble" Link said as Mipha healed him,

"From what I hear, I'm exactly like you were at my age" Linkle grinned

"Sad but true" Link said and the hunt was on again until at last they had them all and in the right order, "Woe!"

Before them stretched the next tower, there were mirrors in strategic places, attracting the light, stone statues hugging the walls and the door in was at least 70ft above them. They'd have no choice but to struggle up the wet wall. This took forever but eventually they found their way inside.

In this oddly worked out space there were three stone Yetis, one had a crown, one had a Joker on his sash, the third had 10 diamonds in hand.

The doors seemed to be miles from each other and required a cart that was, at the moment, on what was now acting as a ceiling.

The three cards, representing 10 of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Diamonds had something that would require something only either Korlorel would have, Link or Linkle,

"Which of us took on 10?" Link asked

"I did" Linkle said

"Korlorel took on the King in the last tower so as 10 stands in for him he's mine" Link realised,

"I haven't faced a Jack yet" Linkle said, "I'm not good at riddles though"

"Don't see how, I did them with you and Mya every storm we had to keep your mind off the thunder that scared you both" Link said

"Maybe having two pieces of the compas back will be enough to help you remember how to work them out" Korlorel said supportively, "I will take on the Queen this time"

Link used the ocorina to free the 10 of Diamonds,

A game materialised around him with locked doors and chain walls. A timer and 12 silver Rupees,

"Every time you lose they lose time on the next task and you with my challenger, but you will also lose the money you've gained, so if you gather three ruppees you will lose 300 from your own savings"

"Welcome to the tower of Greed!" Link said

Link lost 1,200 in the time he had, trying to find keys for doors, use the hookshot and work out the best route, he only cost Linkle 1 minute however and managed to work out as time ran out that he didn't need to worry about the doors at all. All he needed to do was climb and use the double claw shot.

Link didn't have time to catch his breath though as a stone yeti came to life and started to thrash around.

Linkle wanted to help but wasn't allowed to, fortunately Link looked up in time to see a light and switched his shields to reflect the beam from the mirror on the wall outside, down to the chain fence so that it would hit the stone statue and break him apart.

Link had to do this two more times from different angles as with each hit he lost a beam of light. With the last hit the Yeti turned to dust and spun out of the tower, hurting Link, Linkle and Korlorel in the process.

"He wanted to get to you?" Link said to the 10 of Diamonds in question

"We all owe them but we're not all bad, we figured you'd want to help anyway and so anyone that comes here are given the utter grace of enountering those guys right there"

"Oh you're something else" Link said with a glare

"Want the diamond key or not?" The 10 of Diamonds asked, "Here, it's my favorite, I want it back in one piece"

A cart came down from the ceiling and picked Link up on the way to the door, taking him by complete surprise.

Link found himself in the wooded area of Outset Island. His exit now illuding him completely. A wind dial told him the wind was coming in from the West. Lightening struck and a fire broke out to the west of him. It was fierce.

Link ran Southwards but found a cliff top, he searched for his sail but it wasn't there. He ran north, same thing so west he went, grabbing a torch and lighting it with the existing fire. He then ventured near to the east of the wooded area and started a new fire. The wind going westwards enabled the fire East to burn out but before he set it on fire he gathered enough food until he could make himself a sail with the leaves from the damp ground.

Once he had used the sap from the tree trunks and twigs to make the sail he took a run and jump and glided down to the water below.

This vanished and the real room revealed itself to Link,

"How?" It was a Yeti, the Yeti, who had knocked Link out

"If I burned the forest in the East the fire wouldn't re-light in that area, I had eough time to gather food, I had wet leaves, which dried upon my setting a specific course on fire so I couldn't starve and I had what I needed to make a sail and jumpe down here to safety" Link explained

"Well I'll be...here, we don't trust the Diamond cards with the Diamonds for the Arc, you're something else Link"

Link smiled as he took the first Dimaond for the Arc at the far end of the tower on it's side.

Linkle used her vine magic to squeeze the creature wrapped around the card representing the Jack until it popped and respawned on the ground, skuttling off with a frown,

The Jack of Diamonds thanked Linkle and then took out a piece of parchment,

"I'll start you off with an easy one, you're a little young for my riddles, I'm used to dealing with adults...ready? Jimmy' mother has three children, the oldest is called April, the second is called May, what is the name of the other one?"

"June?" Linkle said

Link pulled a face,

"No, I'll give you the question again OK, Jimmy' mother has three children, the oldest is called April, the second is called May, what is the name of the other one?"

"June!" Linkle said

This went on and on and on,

"Listen to the question!" Korlorel exclaimed losing patience, "Jimmy' mother has three children, the oldest is called April, the second is called May, what is the name of the other one?! Three children! Jimmy' mother has three children! Three!"

Link was nearly on the floor laughing,

"Oh...it's Jimmy"

"Oh thank God!" Korlorel said collapsing to the ground in exhaustion

Seeing the tears in Linkle' eyes the Jack took pity,

"Oh don't get upset little one, you can't be good at everything, I tell you what I'll scrap that question as a taster OK, listen to these questions carefully and take your time. What must be broken before you can use it?"

"An egg?" Linkle asked

"Correct, what has a head and a tail but not body?" The Jack asked

"Oh now you're deliberately dumbing down!" 10 scolded

"A coin" Linkle said

"Correct and 10 shut up you've had your go" The Jack said with a shake of the head, "Which building has the most stories?"

Link' eyes widened but Linkle had it,

"A library!"

The Jack adored Linkle and didn't want her to get hurt and so he did something that was completely against his character and against the rules. As the Stone Yeti came for her he helped her to destroy him using the staff to reflect the light. He then took her by the hand, placed her gently in the cart that arrived for them and ventured into the room she needed to face, with the Diamond key,

"You can't do that!" 10 protested

"Just did! She was never supposed to end up in this place, it's your fault she did!" Jack of Diamonds called back

Link and Korlorel rounded on 10,

"What?"

Linkle and the Jack of Diamonds entered a space that looked like a castle entrance hall, where there was a guard with his head in his hands on the desk. The man in charge came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder and the scene froze.

Mya appeared before them,

"This guard has been caught sleeping on the job three times this week. He was told if he was caught again then game over" Mya told them. The scene unfroze, the guard whispered something they couldn't hear and his boss left, "Ever the smarty pants the guard said one word and his boss went home feeling stupid, what was that word?"

The Jack of Diamonds smiled at Linkle as he saw her trying to work it out. He then knelt to the ground with Mya and spoke in Latin,

"Amen!" Linkle said, then she realised as both the Jack and Mya smiled, "You were praying, if the guard looked up and said Amen then his boss would think himself stupid, you can't fire someone for praying when they need to pray in accordance to what they believe...at least that's what Link says about the places he's lived in"

Mya gave Linkle the next diamond,

"Welcome back sis" She smiled before vanishing

Linkle looked up at the Jack of Diamonds,

"Jack D? What did you mean when you said 10 was the reason I ended up here?"

Jack of Diamonds sighed.

In a flash they were in the desert Linkle died in and the 10 of Diamonds was stood outside the Western tower. He was creating a dust of crushed diamonds and heart shaped rubies and watching Linkle' face as her compass failed her and she got lost, ending up in the Gerudo desert,

"He'd spent an age trying to out do Robin for your heart, if a Diamond wins a heart they win their freedom from the tower, they can wake up in the human world but it has to be out of want. Out of greed he lost himself completely and resorted to these tactics, stealing from the Jack of Hearts to confuse you so he'd come in and rescue you, who wouldn't give their heart to their rescuer?" Jack of Diamonds said, "I accepted my fait a long time ago, in fact I even grew to like the tower"

"I was killed by the Molduga, my compass was lost" Linkle said

"At the gate to the house of cards...I am ashamed to say that 10 is my brother and I feel responsible for you" Jack of Diamonds said

"You are not...when you said your heart could wake you in the human world, what did you mean? What happened to you there?" Linkle asked

"I was in an accident. I was an English teacher in Japan, there was a crash as two people were persude by Shanklin' Order, I was affected by the runes they used while out cold. I came round for a minute and have been within the confinds of the Tower of Diamonds or the Eastern tower as you call it, ever since. 10 had struck a deal with the son of one of Shanklin' order, he can never be free but neither will his human self ever die. If you succeed in passing the challengers quest at the House of Cards these towers will crumble into ruins, my brother will become a Skull Kid in the underworld they call Termina, alone, while I become a screaming re-dead, doomed to scare people until my Earthly body gives up" The Jack of Diamonds told her.

In another flash the Jack of Diamonds and Linkle were back in the entrance, where the 10 of Diamonds was now tied up in the center,

Korlorel used her blades to free the Queen of Diamonds. Her task looked simpler than in reality. Korlorel had to smash diamonds of orange and yellow at the same time as they rose, fell or crossed her line of view, without hurting or hitting anyone or anything else in the process.

The Queen have her the last Diamond key and Korlorel ventured into her cart as Linkle whispered something to Link,

"Uh huh" Link smiled

Korlorel comes across three people at a rickity bridge at night, a sign read; two people at a time only please. Only one of these people had a torch and it was that dark the two crossing would have to hold the torch to light the way across.

A man appeared before the group,

"Your torch has 17 minutes on it once you have chosen the first two, who are going to cross the bridge"

"I can cross that bridge in one minute" Korlorel said

"I two" Said the man beside her

"It'd take me ten, I'm old" The man beside him said

"It'd take me five" A lady told her

"Someone will have to come back with the torch...I'll go with you" Korlorel said to the man, who told her he'd take two minutes to cross the bridge, "Then I'll come back with the torch, that's three minutes gone, these two can cross next, that's twelve minutes, then if you come back with the torch for me and we cross again, your two and our two makes it 17, it will have run out by the time we've made it back across a third time"

This plan was put into action and the man, who appeared before them all gave Korlorel the last Diamond for the Arc.

Link, Linkle and Korlorel walked up to the Arc at the far end but before walking through, once activated Linkle looked behind her,

"Wait" She looked up, "I don't know who's in charge here but I can't let this go on, it's time to let the Jack of Diamonds go home. He didn't do anything wrong"

The Jack appeared before her,

"Linkle, I wasn't always this kind, I was a banker first with bonuses and..."

"Jack, if you go home you can start over, act like you know nothing of your past and create the life you wish you could have. Let those, who want to help, help you and use the money you do have to make lives better for anyone around you, that you feel could use a break"

"But you'll never see what I do" Jack of Diamonds said in tears

"If you can come here then maybe I can go there one day?" Linkle said, "You have a piece of my heart, surely it's enough, I'm freeing you, now"

A bright light appeared in the shape of the Goddess Hylia, Jack of Diamonds bowed, Linkle bowed, Korlorel looked on with a face that said "What...the?"

"I accept Linkle' compassion for one once greedy of soul, the only Jack to have shown heart when heart is not what is his makeup. I here by give you my love also and bid you a safe return home, make good on your life as you wake"

She blew gold dust on the Jack of Diamonds and he disappeared before Link, Linkle and Korlorel ventured through the Arc.

Jack of Diamonds woke up in hospital in Japan, stunning the nurse there to check on him,

"Uh...can you tell me your name sir?" She asked in Japanese as she hit the call button for assistance, "Sir? Do you know where you are?"

"I am in a hospital...I think my name is Jack Diamond"

"It...well..."

"Please, that is the name I wish to be kown by now, the old me is dead and gone" Jack said

The nurse smiled,

"This is incredible, the accident you were in..."

In a room filled with diamonds hid the creature out to destroy Link, Linkle and Korlorel. It was made of diamonds that changed colour and elements, a scorpian.

First it tried to drown them, the powerful shots from both pinsers sent Link, Linkle and Korlorel flying back into the diamond wall,

"What're we waiting for!?" Korlorel called

"We need to see the other elements, to see if it's on a loop" Linkle said

Luckily for them it was, the next element the diamond scorpian used was fire and then sand. Linkle built a wall of vines that sent the water back onto the scorpian so Link could use his sword to create a shock and shatter him temporarily. Korlorel used her sheild to deflect the fire back onto the scorpian and then used the blades to shatter him temporarily. Link used the wand from Windwaker to create a cyclone to send the sand back to the scorpian as it attacked with this element and then all three of them used everything they had to shatter the scorpian completely.

There was a flash and as it faded, waiting for them was a golden diamond and another piece of Linkle' compass,

"To think, I lost everything for a 10 year old' crush"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**The birth of the Sages**

From the centre of the snowie mountains Link, Linkle and Korlorel headed West, picking up Mipha, Kass, Zane and Zelda on the way.

"I brought your other attire Link" Zelda said, "And two extra for Kass and Zane"

Link, Zane and Kass dressed in Gerudo attire and were let through with Zelda, Mipha, Linkle and Korlorel, almost without question.

Kass was being eyed up and was starting to blush under his feathers,

"Problem?" Link asked

"She's a little hairy" The Gerudo guard said

"And you're bum is big, what's your point?" Link replied

Zelda' eyes widened,

"Link...le!"

"Insult my friends, expect the same in return"

"Fair enough Gerudo, you may enter"

Linkle looked at the floor and laughed as they pssed by,

"I never heard such a mouth on you" She said once they were clear of the guard,

"You never knew him when he was in Japan...I'll never forget his first meeting with Dew. This 8ft tall Hylian Warrior, told Link he would accompay himself, Nana and Mya to their new dwelling in the states and would "Blend in". Link asked him, "Is that a joke? Blend in as what a Basketball Coach?" If the time and place had not been so inappropriate I would have howled with laughter...then we get to the states and what job does Dew take? Basket Ball coach at the Hi-Range High School property" Zane said

"Oh so that's why you and Link were laughing so much...I got kicked out of class for that" Zelda said

"That was funny" Link grinned, "You were supposed to be looking after me"

"You ruined my entire day, you chewed up my list and then if that wasn't enough I got spat on by a Goron, who thought it stupendous that a Zora descendent with a cold had to stick her head in a fish tank! I was then tripped into a flowerbed avoiding a fight outside the school before being almost drowned by a hose when Zane' cat was chased by a dog, causing him to start and spray me" Zelda said

Link laughed whole heartedly, "And he wonders why I didn't come into the school the next day!"

"Alright, alright, let's find Riju" Zane said pulling rank on Link and Zelda, "That was 6 years ago by your standered, over 2,000 by Hyrule' time lock. Can we let it go?"

Korlorel and Linkle were highly amused by the banter they were being privy too right now. In all of Linkle' memories and Korlorel' dreams, they never imagined they'd ever be stood here with them, on a mission or being included in on treasured moments in their own past.

People imagined Kings and Queens to have no personailty, to be cold of heart but these two didn't act like royalty, they had teen-like attitudes and teen-like faces, they were playful, they squabbled, they were...like anyone else. Still despite the connections both Linkle and Korlorel felt privileged right now and didn't want it to end.

Riju was a little reluctant at first,

"It's not that I don't think you can do it but we run the risk of bringing the entire clan of Morduga' this way, they'll believe the sonic boom to be a threat by our kind"

"I can use the Sheika Slate to replicate the bomb runes for you on loan if that happens and tell you how to defeat them if it comes to it" Link said

"Make it so and I'll play" Riju said, "If under threat the ground doesn't matter, they'll mount it if it's flat"

With Zane' help Link replicated the runes for the round and square bombs before Zane, Kass and Mipha played the tune,

Riju got it immediately and took out an instrument similar to a guitar and played along.

There was a sonic boom but before the last dragon could reach them they were set upon by three Morduga.

Linkle' heart was in her mouth but she knew what to do this time. She actually killed the one, who had killed her before and she knew this only for one reason. As the Morduga exploded, there at her feet was nother piece of the compass.

She'd never felt prouder of herself,

"Should it have been that easy?" She then asked, doubting herself

"Linkle" Link said as the battle ended, "Could it not be that you have just become stronger? The enemies we face now require more than strength of hand"

With a kiss on her cheek he looked up at the dragon,

"I don't need to worry about you...but there's a storm coming in" The dragon said

A wave of sand came at Link, Linkle and Korlorel, making it almost impossible to see the musical notes. Link called out after about 5 minutes of unsuccessful hunting,

"Stop!"

"We can't give up!" Korlorel called

"We're not, we just need a different perspective" Link said and he held up his master sword, "Wolf Link! I need you!"

Wolf Link jumped out of the sword and the light changed making it easier to see. Wolf Link caught the last dragon' scent from the musical notes and Link, Linkle and Korlorel followed until they had them all.

With the notes in the right place the storm subsided and Wolf Link retruned to the sword.

Here was the last tower, the Western Tower of Hearts.

"Something tells me this is going to be anything but a love fest" Link said and into the tower they ventured.

There was a purple smoke in this place, an eerie glow and everything solid was black. Link used a torch to light the blocks so they could work out where the Jack, Queen or King was.

Directly ahead of them they found a family portrait,

"Oh God, what are they?" Korlorel gasped

"Vampires" Link said, "We're going to need the light arrows" He materialised these from his satchel and shot at the Jack, "You're mine Jack"

The Jack flew out of the portrait and went right up to Link' face. Link did not flinch,

"Am I indeed? Count yourself lukly you're not going up against my father" The Jack said, then he laughed, "Count! That's funny!"

"How did you get into this prediciment?" Link asked

"I was a womaniser, one day a building collapsed and I was staked. My ex walked past and said, "I should have known, the souless never die" The Jack said, "Daddy was in a cult and mummy was...just cold, she had a condition where her body temp never rose any higher than 5 C, I didn't stand a chance did I? Now, here we are, guarding a tower of death and distruction, disease and shadow...and it's still better than Earth, what does that tell you?"

"You're perception of your own life has no bearing on the beauty others find in the darkness you create for them" Link said. The Jack of Hearts blew a raspberry at him, "Real mature"

"Your questions. For some I go fast, for others I am slow, to most I am an obsession relying on me as a well practiced lession. What am I?"

"Time" Link said after going over the question in his mind

"A blue house is made of blue brick, a yellow house is made of yellow brick, a red house is made of red brick, an orange house is made of orange brick. What is the green house made of?" The Jack of Hearts asked

"That's easy, glass"

"How?" Linkle asked

"A green house is a glass building for plants, he was being pedantic" Link told her

The Jack of Hearts smirked,

"I know what's waiting for you" He said, "That's why I'm smirking, what has roots nobody sees, is taller than any tree, up, up it goes and yet it'll never grow?"

"A mountain, you never see the bottom, it won't grow as such even if a quake forces it to rise from it's position" Link said

"Very well...I'd wish you luck in that room but my heart isn't working so I don't actually care" The Jack of Hearts told him, giving him a black heart key.

Link' eyes changed and everyone could see things from the wolf' point of view now,

"That's better. Now I can see you all for what you are"

Before them hovered an orb,

"What are they?" Korlorel asked

"Memories" Link said

"They died in your world" Linkle said

"Our world" Link corrected

"Can it still be my world?" Linkle asked,

"You haven't figured it out yet have you?" Link said, changing the sight back, "I'm not looking forward to this one"

With this Link entered the first room.

Link finds himself at a junction with four routes onto an intersection in Tokyo. A timer appeared above his head,

"Work out the riddle and solve it before the timer runs out or you will die" The Jack of Hearts said

"I have Mipha' Grace, I get two goes" Link said

"Yeah right, Mipha is in love with your past and he's not present, you may be able to use other...oh damn!"

"BOTW Link shadow me!" Link called, his sword flashed and BOTW Link merged with Link so their features combined. Four cars came to a complete halt from four directions but didn't hit Link or each other. Link jumped out of his skin, "Jesus!"

"I went because I thought I got here first!" The first driver said

"Me two" The second driver said

"Same here!" The third driver said

"Well I got nothing...who got here first?" The fourth driver said in question

"That is not the question! You didn't hit each other or this man in the middle here!" A warden said, "Why are you in the middle of the road? How this _that! _Possible?!"

"They all took a right turn" Link said

The timer stopped with three seconds to spare,

"It was rigged Link, they were going to kill you" BOTW Link said stepping away from Link

"What happened to me the night I came _here_?" Link asked

"Later" BOTW Link said, nodding at the chest that had just arrived in the centre of the now empty room, "Take the black heart and return to the others"

Korlorel took the light arrows from Link and targeted the Queen of Hearts. She created an unfair course for Korlorel, proposed a race and then set every trap available to stop her reaching the finish line before her. Korlorel got the better of her with one of the traps but it exploded and both were sent back to the start. Korlorel knew what to do now and set every trap at the same time as the Queen until there were no more traps left and it became of race of pure speed. The crown slowed her down in this form and so Korlorel won.

The Queen conceded and gave her the key.

Korlorel entered the second room.

Korlorel found herself in a tight room with a man in funny clothes eating his dinner with a lady in red. The man yawned,

"You go to bed, I'll put out the lights" The woman said

The man nodded, got up and left the room.

Korlorel folllowed the woman down some winding stairs and watched her grin evily as she shut off every light in the building,

"There's a storm coming" She said

Korlorel tried to go outside but she couldn't get the door to open. A timer appeared as crashing sounds and winds were heard all around,

"Bad, choice" The voice of the Queen of Hearts said

"Wait! What do you use this building for?! Why does it look like this?" Korlorel asked

"That's for you to find out" The Queen of Hearts said

Korlorel ran to the window and watched a number of ships coming towards them,

"They can't see us with the lights off! That woman, she must have known! Why would she do this?!" Korlorel asked, 20 seconds to spare she turned the lights back on, "Turn away! Turn away!"

The Queen of Hearts appeared behind her,

"19, 18...why? 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10"

"Maybe she was his lover, we're nowhere near land, maybe she wanted him to come home! Closer to hime!"

The space became a tall room with skulls on the walls and bones littering the place. Korlorel sighed with relief,

"A lighthouse signals that there are dangerous rocks up ahead and tell a ship to change course, without light they cotinue aft and...wreck" The Queen of Hearts said

As she disappeared a chest appeared, within which was a black heart,

Korlorel took this and left to rejoin the others,

"Holy crackers Link, a timer on your life?"

Linkle was scared but she was more angry now,

"I will not lose to these cards again!"

She took the light arrows and aimed at the King. To her shock the King grabbed the arrow in his hand and through Wolf Link' vision they saw he was in fact alive,

"How can that be?" Link asked

"I'm a creative. I wrote myself into every game from Link' Awakening, if she can figure out who that is I'll give your sister a free pass. She deserves it after all this" The King of Hearts said

"What does that mean?" Link asked

"The only one, who will face the trials of the House of Cards will be you..."

"Wait!" Link said, "She's my prize! If she figures out who you are they'll take her hostage at the house of cards, but I can't save her, I love her but I can't be the one that saves her!"

"No, someone else is waiting for you, I'm willing to let her and her friend go now. We made it possible for the 10 of Diamonds to entise and ultimately destroy Linkle." The King of Hearts said, "He was a virus. Are you there yet?"

"If you're in a house of the dead the you either collect ghosts or you're a graveyard keeper"

Two doors appeared before her,

"Linkle, if you choose the wrong door you will face the boss alone, if you choose the right door you'll go back to where you truly belong" The King of Hearts said

Linkle hugged Korlorel and then she hugged Link tight before choosing the door on the right.

Linkle woke up in a hospital in Tokyo to find Zane and Dew by her side,

"Where...where am I?" She asked, blinking

"You're in Tokyo Linkle...all going well Link will join you soon. We had to write you into the game, it was the only way to save Saria and Korlorel Nabooru.

Meanwhile, Link placed the four symbols into the gate that rose out of the sand, with the house of cards behind it. He then looked at Korlorel,

"Zelda must stay and create the portals between this world and our world. You Korlorel must continue to grow until the time comes when another child by the name of Link will arrive at the Spirit Temple, a maze of mirrors taken from the Eastern Tower. In the future we must be able to flit between all three timelines again with this umarked land the central point, cut into four, as above our world, so must it sit below it, to the Eastern winds and the Western Sea. I cannot fail now. I must not fail now. I know your family name. Nabooru.

Linkle is destined for two daughters, one, who will accompany you on your quest against Ganondolf. Yes Zelda is her first but Saria will be her second, charmed by the Great Deku Tree himself. You and Saria will make up two of the Sages of Light. With the challenges complete I will have the power Zelda needs to complete her task and we can go home at last.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**The house of Cards**

Linkle looked at Dew and Zane,

"I will be called soon" Dew said, taking his leave

"What happened to Link and Korlorel in the last tower?" Linkle asked

"He faced his toughest challenge" Zane said, "Your father"

**The Western Tower:**

Link and Korlorel looked at each other as the door to the _boss_ as the King had called it moved across the floor to them like a ghost,

"Guess she got the right answer" Korlorel said

"I guess so, are you ready?" Link asked

"I'm a Gerudo, I'm always ready" Korlorel answered

Together they stepped through the door

Korlorel was held back by a light barrier. Link looked back in surprise and then turned as he heard a sword being removed from its cabbolt. Link was stunned. He was looking at his father only his father was now at least 7 of him,

"How're we doing this right here? Do I get to ask what's going on or?" His father launched at him and threw Link into the barrier of light, "Or we could just do that?"

Link jumped to his feet and dodged until he could find something to trip his oversized father up with. He hot one shot in with his sword before Link found himself tossed again. Link got up and dodged, then grabbed at the chain around his father' waist and pulled,

"Useless!" His father yelled

"If you have the strength of every Link in history then I do to and then some!" Link yelled putting his father in stasis after dragging him down, then using a staff on the floor and hitting him as he performed a spin attack, doing damage to his father as the stasis wore off.

Link prepared himself for the next stage of attach. His father floated up with a laugh and produced a ball of lightening I his hand,

"And Ganondolf" His father laughed

The match was on, back and forth they went. Link dodging when he couldn't hit back fast enough until he could get to his father and bring him down. Link then used the light arrows on him. Only now as his father changed tactics did he realise there was an upside down Triforce on his head, and once he knew his father' third stage of attack he knew which piece of the upside down Triforce to go for.

He got the better of him again and then for good messure sliced the Triforce into his father' chest until he exploded into light and became the father he had known.

Link cried,

"Not fair"

"I have nothing left to teach you son" Link' father said, "In truth, the Princess wasn't the only one shattered that day in Termina, you have much to do but you have done all you can in this time line. Well almost. You still need to face the challengers in the House of Cards, they house the power Zelda needs to create the portals and the links between worlds. As above so below and a seat at the right and left hand of your creator"

"I understand" Link said

In a flash of light Link and Korlorel found themselves outside and the gate was rising. Link explained all Korlorel had not heard but before they could step through the gate there was a evil scream. Korlorel was captured by two the Yiga, who then barged Link to get through the gate, using their powers to take over the House of Cards. The House of Cards' defences kicked in and one portion was severed from the rest of the building. This was all the Yiga could possess but they didn't care. It was a start.

Link then got thrown back as 7 lights shot up into the sky and 7 faces appeared within the light pillars. Mya in green, Borak in red, Ruler, Zelda' Earth friend, in blue, Zelda' mother in purple, Riju in gold, Nana in Silver and Drew in orange. Some of them screamed in terror, others looked accepting of their fait or determined not to be gotten the better of.

The battle was on and Link nodded before passing through the gate.

The doors opened for Link and Link stepped inside. Directly in front of him was a door and three jars. He smashed these and caught two fairies, obtaining a key in the third jar. He used the key to open a green wooden door.

The door slammed shut behind him and hovering above him was an unconscious Mya. Link grabbed his sword and made his signiture distress noise. A light trained up from the ground until he could see what he was facing. A plant like creature with poisoned vines that reached out.

Link tried to use his bombs but was unable. He'd have to use the bomb plants but the vines followed his every move to put the bombs out or make them explode on Link.

Link shot one bomb then quickly ran to the other and used this on the plant. As it exploded part of the vine attached, holding Mya slipped. The plant' second face of the attack was to pick Link up, suck on him and spit him out. This cost him valuable health. There were no bombs on this side of the plant. Link used fire arrows to set the vine' on fire and Mya was dropped. She didn't move when she landed but the plant did. It burrowed up out of the ground and spun around.

Link but it in stasis and then did a spin attack until he had done significant damage. Twice more and the plant exploded into smoke. Three jars appeared. Link found arrows and a key. He used one of the fairies he'd just obtained on Mya and she came round,

"Link!" She cried happily

Link gave her his signiture laugh, helped her up and together they ventured through the red door.

Here They found Borak holding the Goron hammer. He was in a cage high above and his guard was wrapped around the wall with its tail holding onto the cage firmly. Two eyes snapped open and soon Mya and Link found themselves going toe to claw with a phoinix.

"We need that hammer!" Link said

"I can't get it to you!" Borak called

"Sure you can!" Link called back

Borak tried but gravity worked the other way and Link realised with horror that he and Mya were the ones that were upside down. They hadn't even noticed. Getting the bird to them long enough would there for me impossible.

"Send the bird Borak' way!" Mya said

Link used his light arrows to shoot towards Borak. The bird went after it and Borak reached out and hit the bird. Then in shock as the bird flew up and around Link pulled the bird to them with his clawshot and Mya hit him with normal arrows.

They had to repeat this three times but they didn't expect what happened to them when the bird exploded into smoke, they were flipped back, this time they didn't notice and they dropped like lead weights, past Borak.

They turned the cage the right way and used a fairy to tend to his wounds after letting him out.

Three jars appeared. Two fairies and a key.

Together they ventured through the blue door.

Here Link, Mya and Borak found Ruler underwater in a pool.

Borak was suspicious,

"I don't think that's water Link"

He was right. The water became fourty Ruler, all with red eyes. They all tried to drown Lik, Mya and Borak, sending them to different parts of the room.

"We have to find the real ruler and snipe her" Link said

"Yo! That's savage Link"

"We have two fairies, one for one of us if we need it and one for her. We have to prove we'll do what he have to when it come down to it" Link called back

"This one has no gils!" Mya called pointing as she avoided an attack

Link used the hookshot to pull her out and Borak found three gems embedded in her back, he took one out and smashed it.

Ruler forced Link into the wall and then threw him across the room as she released herself from the hookshot. 10 of her doubles vanished but it didn't make it any easier to find the real one.

This went on until the last ten and she became a black finned Zora, that tried to escape through a vent but Link caught her and Mya helped Borak smash the last gem they had missed the last three times.

Ruler returned to normal, as did the room and she lay there naked, scared and embarrassed. Especially when she looked up and saw Link and Borak.

Mya took off her long coat and gave it to Ruler. It looked like a T shirt on her but it was better than nothing,

"Welcome to the game"

"I beg your pardon!"

Borak burst out laughing and Link soon followed suit,

"You're inside a computer right now...we could have killed you just now" Link said, "No time to explain"

Three jars appeared, within which was a dress for Ruler and a sword of blue, three mini shields that became full sized as they were picked up and the next key.

"If my capter is behind that door you watch..." Ruler said, angry, "If I go to Hyrule it'll be on my bloody terms no one elses!" As Link unlocks the purple door, "Why'd they take us anyway?!"

"We're descendents of the sages of light" Borak said

In this next room, it was dark and they all froze with fear as a circle of re-dead screamed. Once they'd dealt with these using a combination of stasis, the ocorina and fire arrows a different kind of abominations arrived from out of the ground.

Ruler noticed light coming from specks in the walls and alongside Mya used a sword and arrows until they had four beams at strategic points in the room. Link, Ruler, Borak and Mya stood at these points and combined shields and swords to direct light at the creature until it burst into flames and then exploded into smoke.

"Wait, who was the sage descendent for this temple?"

Before them appeared Zelda' mother,

"I am standing in for Korlorel"

"But she is of the Spirit Temple" Borak said

"Light and shade, as above so below, to the East and West. It makes sense. Impa is part Gerudo and Sheika, which is why if need be she could withstand the Twilight...son of a...Impa became Midna, the Twilight Princess" Link realised

Three jars appeared, within which were ice arrows and Zelda' mother joined Link, Mya, Borak and Ruler into the next room.

In this room they found five knuckle masters. Stasis wouldn't work on them but they realised that above them was a fire ceiling that was lowering and shot beams down at 5 second intervals. They had to get the knuckle masters into a position where by the fire would hit them. But when it had no affect Zelda' mother realised what they had to do,

"Freeze the beam on the way down and duck!"

They did this and the beam became a hammer of sorts that brought the kuckle masters to the ground and then the flames became icicles that shattered and did more damage.

The ceiling returned to it's first position and started again.

Trice more and the fire was deactivated. The armour fell away to reveal Riju in the centre. She had been powering the other two knuckle masters.

They cured her and with the next key from one of three jars they all ventured through the next door.

In this space Nana was trapped and there were six giant statues and one staff. Link' movements controlled theirs. He had to not only get the statues to their rigth places in order to free Nana but also get the others across to the other side of the room without crushing them.

Any time a mistake was made they lost blocks.

It took having to leave the room and re-enter three times before they were successful.

"Well that was...loud" Nana said

Mya giggled

"What's beyond that door?" Link asked

"The Yiga, the twins and Dew with the final challenge" Nana said, "This is where we take our leave"

Link nodded and stepped through the door into the last room.

The Yiga were laughing and congratulating each other as they watched Kolorel struggle in the power binds around her,

"Let her go!" Link yelled

"I knew you were the right choice, I knew you wouldn't fail" The first Yiga said

"With each descendent you saved our devices obtained a new sage, they know of a breech but they don't distinguish between enemy, victim and hero so on the safe side they're draining her of life right now. We brought her here so they'll grant us the power as a matter of thanks"

"Over my dead body!" Link yelled and he slammed the master sword into the ground. Korlorel was saved and the sage orbs flew around and into Link.

Link now possessed 7 sages and within five moves of his sword had rendered the Yiga' usless.

The ground went from under Link as they cried out and tried to maintain power. They raised the imprisioned from the ground and on each level they made each descendent Link had just saved appear. Link used a combination of powers to slow the imprisioned so he could save his friends again then stasis to stop the imprisioned long enough to pound the seal back into his head.

As the imprisioned was destroyed and rendered nothing but a black orb Link fell over 200 ft and landed on his feet unharmed.

The twins arrived and stole 3 of the sages each so now they were stronger than Link.

Link had to think on his feet and managed to trick them into hitting each other with counter powers. Once out cold the stolen powers flew around the room,

The Yiga went after Link again and were now destroyed by the powers that were free.

Link used the two fairies left to heal the twins, who came round and cried, arms wrapped around Link' waist.

Dew then appeared and peeled the children from Link,

"One more task Link...defeat me in a match to near destruction without the sages or any of the shattered anscestors. Prove you can perform all of Shades lessons without prompt one after the other and do so with a normal sword" Dew said

Link nodded and took the Sword Dew offered, her then allowed the last sage to leave him, removed the master sword and lay it down. He then removed the Sheika slate and bowed to Dew. Dew also bowed.

Link performed each skill in order as the fight progressed, and without prompt.

Ending blow, shield attack, back slice, helm splitter, mortal draw, jump strike and then the spin attack.

Pillars appeared as the ground vanished until the sage descendents were on the pillars where the possessor of the future sage orbs would stand,

"This is the sacred chamber" Link realised

"In this trial it has been made known that your time here is at an end, you have done what we needed you to do. The future of Hyrule and your kind is safe now and the new portals will now be possible. Once all of them have been reopened only a few will know anything out of place or the norm has transpired at all in the last 6 years. This is your awakening Link. Until next time" Drew said

Link woke up in a hospital in America on the same ward as Zelda, Borak, Rula and Mya,

"What happened?" Link asked, "We..."

"Yep" Borak said

"But what happened here?"

"I think I can explain that one" Linkle said coming into the room with Jack Diamond, "The last sealing caused a massive Earthquake, and a Tsunami, several in fact. I had no idea how to find you once the nun, who raised me told me what happened the night our parents were destroyed by Shanklin, the threat to life was too great and so Zane, Dew and Nana locked our souls into Breath of the Wild' beta file so that game over meant respawning as ourselves...I wasn't in Breath of the Wild, which is why it took me so long to remember, who I was and where I needed to be, why I allowed the power to affect me. It also meant we could make sure our past happened just so and didn't alter our future. Jack Diamond found me and helped me find you guys and here we are"

"Something tells me the universe isn't done with us yet" Link grinned

The End


End file.
